Pencil



C. R. KEERAN ET AL PENCIL Filed March 51 1922 L fw w Patented .lune 2, 1925.l

UNITED STATES'` 1,540,018 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B.. KEERAN ANDA JOHN P. LYNN, O'F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO REALITE PENCIL` MANUFACTURING COMPANY, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- ron-Arron or ILLINOIS.

PENCIL.

i Application filed MarchV 31, 1922. Serial No. 548,273.

- To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES R. KEERAN and JOHN P. LYNN, both citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Pencils, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a pencil wherein is combined a propelling mechanism for ejecting a lead as required for use; more particularly our invention is concerned with certain improvements in the propelling mechanism, and in the construction of the pencil body within which the same is contained.

An exempliiication of this invention in its preferred form is shown in the accompanying drawing` wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a pencil whose body is tubular;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section o n line 2--2 of Fig. y1;

' Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail in elevation of the upper clip end, lookingA toward the inner side thereof;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the eraser and holder therefor;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a pencil whose body is relatively solid as distinguished from the tubular construction shown inFig.1;and

Fig. -is-an enlarged transverse section daken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, the pencil body A therein shown may be formed from tubing, its upper end being adapted to receive a cup-shaped holder 10, which isprovided with longitudinal slits 11 -so as to form a plurality of spring sections. Oppositely disposed openings 12v are further provided in the cup sides adjacent its-bottom, and

within a holderl of this character is contained an eraser 13 which 1s secured. therein by the pressure resulting from the lnsertion in the body end of the cup whose walls tend to spring outwardly. Due to the provision of the openings 12 portions of the eraser may bulge therethrough if required so to do by the pressure resulting from assembly inthe pencil end. Over the eraser may be removablyk fitted to the body a cap 14 for purposes of ornamentation. n

In abutting relation to the lower end 15 of thev pencil bodyis the cylindrical portion 16 of a pencil tip B which tapers to a. point at its lower extremity. As shown the tip is provided interiorly with a sleeve 17 which extends upwardly beyond its cylindrical walls to frictionally engage the body walls and thereby provide a connection of the tip therewith. By preference this extension sleeve is slit as at18, thereby becoming yieldable to a degree that affords a connection with the body that is both secure and easily rotatable.. Arranged centrally within the tip is a tube 19 having its walls provided with spiral threads 20 whose inner diani.-

eter is such as to afford a guide for a lead are spaced from the body walls sufliciently to provide a magazine 26 in the form of an annular chamberfor the reception of reserve leads D. Throughout its upper portion 27 the cross section of the body tube is other than round, being elongated, by preference, as shown bent in Fig. 2, so to provide' 0ppositely disposed grooves 28 in which may lie the edges of a head 29 formed on a plunger 3() that is slidably arranged within the body tube 25. In its lower portion the plunger is provided with laterally projecting elements 31 in the nature of teeth or threads which cooperate with the spiral threads 20 of the tube that is carried by the tip. By forming and relating the parts in the vmanner described, rotation of 'the tip willeffect a longitudinal movement of the plunger whose head co-operates with the grooves 28 to prevent rotation.

The lower end of the magazine 26 is closed by a bushing 35 which is threaded onto the body tube 25. The reserve leads may be inserted or withdrawn through the lower end of the pencil by lirst removing the pencil tip, and thereafter this bushing. At its upper end the magazine is close-d by a plate 3G having a central aperture conforming to the external contour of the upper portion of the body tube, as best indicated in Fig. 2,

cross section. the tube and the plate are and owing to its elongated or oval removed from the pencil.

' thereof the clip head is extended to provide slightly tapering flanges 45 and 46 which at their edges 47 and'48 are bent towards each other to embrace the plate head 39 which is adapted to wedge-lock therewith.

' Inthe 'construction of the pencil herein described, a piece of tubing is cut off to the proper length for the forming of the body A. Thereafter the plate 36 is fitted onto the axial tube 25 and preferably secured thereto as by solder; these two elements as a unit are then slipped into the body with the clip head also inserted therein`to lock with the plate head. lVhen this connection is made, both the clip and tube are secured immovably, but may, if necessary for purposes of repair, or otherwise, be disconnected and The pencil tip with its parts'properly related is thereafter frictionally fitted to the body, so that all the operating elements will be correctly related for service.

A mechanism substantially the same in many respects is shown in Figs.- 5 and 6, wherein the pencil body A may be formed of some composition material, or other substance that is relatively solid, as distinguished from the tubular body of Fig. 1.

In the construction of Figs. 5 and 6, use is made of a rotatable tip B fitted to the lower body end, and provided with the axial tube 19 in which are formed threads 20 for cngaging with the teeth 31of -a plunger 30. The body end engaged by the tip is preferably tapered at itsv extremity as at 49 and slitted longitudinally as at 50 to provide a compressible structure which bears frictionally against the pencil tip and also against the axial-tube 19 therein. The eii'ect of this construction is to enhance the friction resulting from the connection between these parts and thereby provide a more serviceable and stable mounting fbr the tip upon the pencil end. Within the body is used exactly the same form of axial tube 25 having a cross section which is oval or elongated in its upper region 27. It will be noted, however, that the lower end 51 of this axial tube may terminate short of the pencil tip, and that the-magazine for the reserve leads is situated in the upper end of the pencil. By preference we provide on opposite sides of the upper portion 27 of the tube 25 compartments 53 and 54 (see Fig. 6) in each of which may be received two preferably reduced slightly to receive theA collar in flush relation therewith.

`It will be observed that .the expanded or enlarged lower end of the body tube extends above the tube carried by the tip for a distance which is slightly greater than the length of the plunger head. Due to this construction the plunger may freely rotate when in its lowermost position as the head is then no longer engaged within the grooves 28. 'Ihe result of this is that when the plunger has advanced to its limit there will be no binding of the parts if rotation .of the tip is continued.

In the operation of the pencil, the tip is rotated intermittently relative 'to the body to effect an advancement of the lead for writing purposes. The eraser is normally exposed beyond the vend of its cup holder,-

but when it becomes worn down flush therewith, it maybe withdrawn in the4 following mannen 'lhepencil tip is-rotated in a direction normally reverse to that required for advancing the lead until the plunger has been retracted to the position shown in Fig. 1 where its upper end is in abutting relation to the bottom of the eraser cup. Continued rotation of the tip will most likely result in its starting to move 0H the pencil body, as the eraser holder is fitted to the body more tightly than the tip. With the pencil tip slightly moved down from its normal position, the pencil may then be so manipulated as to press its point `against some solid surface with the result that the pressure communicated through the tip and plunger is directed against the bottom of the eraser holder so as to eject the'latter from the pencil body. After this has taken place, the holder walls may be distended to permit the insertion of a new eraser, following which the parts are replaced in their normal operating relation. It will be observed also that the edges 22 "of the eraser holder are bent inwardly the previous constructions just referred to, f

new leads may be inserted into the tube that is carried by the ti from either endfrom the rear end if t e plunger vbe completely withdrawn therefrom. The advantages which inhere in this invention relate in large measure to the simplicity and ease with which the parts may be constructed and assembled, and tol the facility with which they may be taken apart vwhenever desired for purposes of replacement or otherwise; also to theconnection which obtains between the clip andthe axial tube wherein is contained the lead mechanism.

We claim:

1. In a pencil, a body having a tip, the tip and body having telescoping portions and being adapted for relative rotation, a threaded axial tube fixed to the tip, a second axial tube; mounted in 'the body and being open from end to end thereof, the upper portion'of the last named tube being non-circular in cross seetiomwhile the lower end is of increased diameter and is adapted to receive in telescoping relation the u per end of the threaded axial tube, and a plunger adapted to engage with said threaded tube and having a lateral projection adapted to engage with the non-circular portion of said tube, the enlarged `lower end portion 'of said tube-being of such diameter. as to permit the projection on the plunger to rotate therein. A

2. In a pencil, the combination of -a body and a tip arranged in telescoping, rotatable relation, a threaded lead tube fixed to the tip, a plunger tube secured to the body,

propelling the upper portion of the plunger tube being non-circular in cross section, the lower portion of said last named tube being enlarged, a plunger having threads adapted to engage said threaded tube. and having a lateral projection adapted to engage with the noncircular portion. of the ,plunger tube, the enlarged portion of said plunger tube at .the lower end thereof being adapted to permit the rotation'of the projection on the plunger therein, the plunger tube being open from end to end thereof.

3. In a pencil,"the combination of a body and a tip arranged in telescoping, rotatable relation, a threaded lead tube fixed to the tip, a plunger -tube secured tothe body, the upper portion of the plunger tube being non-circular in cross Section, the lower portionof said last named tube being enlarged, a plunger having threads adapted to engage said threaded tube and having a lateral projection adapted to engage with the noncircular portion of the'- plunger tube, the enlarged portion of said plunger tube at the lower endthereof being adapted to permit the rotation of the `projection `on the plunger therein, the plunger tube being open from end to end thereof, an eraser seated -in the upper end of said body above the open end of sald plunger tube and being adapted to be ejected by the reverse'movement of said plunger.

CHARLES R. KEERAN. JOHN P. LYNN. Witness:4

EPHRIAM BANNING. 

